The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-12-20
TO FIGHT THE PULLMANS.
DRUMMERS KICK AGAINST SLEEP
ING BERTH RATES.

TIE Pullman Company to be Hauled
Before the Railroad Commission for
Violating the Laws in Regard to
Charges-The It. p. A. to Make Test
Case.
The Pullman Palace Car Company will
be brought up for trial before the Georgia
Railroad Commission shortly on a charge
of violating the rules of the commission in
regard to the charges for sleeping berths
The rule which the commission has made is
that for distances of less than 100 miles, a
sleeping car company may charge not
more than 81; from 100 to $50 miles
lie. per mile extra; for more than
$50 miles the charge may be So The Pull
man Company, however, charge 50 a berth,
no matter whether the distance is less or
more than 100 miles, and the Railroad Com
mittee of Post D, s tvannah Travellers Pro-
tective Association has resolved to break up
that charge, which it considered arbitrary
and unlawful, and compel the company. if
possible, to comply with the rules laid down
by the Commission.
MAKING THE TEST.
One of the members of that committee
got on a Pullman car at WaycrosS on the
night Of Oct 20, and in order to make test
case he rendered 81 in payment. The por-
ter refused to receive it. The committee
man urged that he was entitled to the berth
for 81, as the distance from WaycroSs to
Savannah was only ninety-six miles. The
porter, however, positively declined to let
him have the berth for less than the regular
charge, and the So was 4 paid
under protest, and receipt taken.
The matter was reported to the Railroad
Committee of Post D. which addressed a let
ter to the Railroad Commission stating the
position which it took, and inquiring if its
Interpretation of the commissions rules was
correct.
A reply was received from the Secretary
of the commission in which he stated that
the committee had interpreted the law cor
rectly, and he also en- losed a copy
of the rules with the oues
which are applicable marked. Upon
receipt of this the committee wrote to Mr..
III. Porter. local manager of the Pullman
Car Company, stating the facts and asking
that the overcharge be refunded. No re-
Spouse was received, and two weeks after
the date of this letter another wa, written
telling Mr.. Porter that unless a reply was
received by Nov. % the matter would be
closed.
THE T. P. A. IGNORED.
Mr.. Porter answered that letter and said
that the first communication had been for
warded to the Division Superintendent, who
had sent it to the general officers in Chica-
go, who were the only ones who had power
to act. The committee waited two weeks
more, not desiring to press the matter, and
then wrote to the general officers giving 4
full statement of the case. The letter said
that Post D was not pressing the matter in
any spirit of hostility, but simply
to make a test case to ascertain the
rights of travellers under the rulings of
the Georgia Railroad Commission, and in
closing it said that the committee would
wait until Dec. 10 for an answer, and if one
was not received before then it would take
the matter before the commission.
No answer has yet been received, and as
soon as possible the committee will report
the matter to the commission
and have the matter investigated
1t will probably be lively
fight for the Pullman Company has charged
50 for berths for all distances ever since
it has been established, and it will have no
desire to make a change, for if it is COM
PEELED to regulate its charges in Georgia ac-
cording to tue distance the passenger travels,
it may be required to do the same thing in
every other State, and such a reformation
would cause it loss of thousands of dollars
per annum.